Theatre arts students need “practical experience” film maker

Lancelot Imasuen

A movie producer, Launcelot Imaseun, on Thursday urged tertiary institutions to expose theatre arts students to more practical aspects of the profession.

Imaseun, said in Abuja, also stressed the need for experienced practitioners to coach actors-in-the-making on acting skills.

According to him, acting schools should take advantage of the platforms provided by film festivals for their students to interact with practitioners on the field.

“I am at the forefront of pushing the universities to release their students to start interacting with practitioners.

“In Nigeria, there seem to be a huge gap between the practitioners in the field and the students; what they learn theoretically, they need the practical experience to put it to bear.

“Schools can take their theatre arts students in filmmaking to film festivals; in that way they encourage their students.

“That is still lacking, but some universities are already doing it,” Imaseun said.
According to Imaseun, exposing students to practitioners would make it easier for them to be absorbed into the field after graduation.

Imaseun added that practitioners in the movie industry should also be encouraged to visit schools at intervals to teach students on the rudiments of film making.

“We know that some schools invite practitioners from outside to share experience with the students; they are using it as an avenue to expose their students.

“Once such things are happening, there won’t be much of a gap; so, even the students get to know the practitioners before they leave school and it will be easier for them to be absorbed in the business.

“I have some students that come for six months to one year practical training before they go back to school to continue their studies.

“It is a very great development; we are also having a lot of call up to give lectures in tertiary institutions,” the movie maker said.